Sarah7

Ch28

The pallid sun cast its first rays upon the hilt of the oversized sword that was planted in the center of the makeshift camp. It was roughly two meters tall by a half meter wide. Its slate grey surface was engraved with all manner of ornate circuitry and a sprinkling of intense lights played across its surfaces. The lights would grow dim or change colors in strange, almost hypnotic patterns. Whatever beauty it possessed was overshadowed by the harsh metallic shape and utilitarian size.

“It gives me the creeps” Creed muttered to Captain Danner as they emerged from their respective tents to tend to the morning camp chores.

“Creeps or not, it’s probably our best hope against the Vixen. With Sarah wielding a weapon like this, she’s going to be unstoppable.” Captain Danner mused.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of. Look at our boy Max here. Even the ’bot is afraid of it.” Creed gestured to Max, who was in his collapsed mode at the far end of the camp. As far from Orna as he could manage.

“Robots do not fear.” Max said.

Creed jumped. Max had been mostly silent these past few days. The days after Sarah had returned to them covered in dust and a face full of tears. The sword was - unnatural. When Sarah held it - it moved with a speed that belied its size. Captain Danner had mused that the scientists who had created the container for it must have added some sort of anti gravity device - otherwise it would have been too heavy for anyone other than perhaps Max to hold.

“Well, Max. Welcome back. I thought perhaps we were beneath your notice now that you and Sarah and Orna are one big happy family now.” Creed prodded. He was hoping he could get some kind of response from the giant mech, since it seemed to have been running on auto pilot for the past few days.

“Creed, you talk about things you do not understand. Sarah is in grave danger. We must protect her.” Max intoned.

“Danger? Danger? Just being alive on this rock is a invitation for danger now! Protect her? Who’s going to protect us from her if she gets the idea - ” Creed snapped his mouth shut at the appearance of Sarah before him. Her hair was unkempt and fell before her face as though she did not care if it obscured her vision. She only wore her bodysuit now - and did not seem to be aware of the chill of the morning air. If she did, she showed no sign and nudged past Creed to start preparing for the morning meal.

“I’m sorry Sarah. It’s just that you have changed so much since you got that metal terror device. It makes me wonder what it’s doing to you.” Creed explained as he placed his hand behind his head as he often did when upset. He looked at her with heavy concern in his eyes.

Her dark look softened. She ran her fingers through her hair - pulling it away from her face and she looked at the sun as it grew brighter in the east.

“Creed, everyone wants something from me. Even you. And I’ve not been able to do anything about it, up until now. I don’t even know if I want any of this. How much of me is just - me. Not the original Sarah, or whatever conditioning the old earth military gave me, or whatever’s happening between me and Orna.”

She looked down and held one elbow with her other hand. She looked very small and almost fragile to Creed’s eyes.

“Orna? What does that thing want from you?” Creed asked.

She glanced at the giant sword for a moment before looking back at Creed.

“She wants me to let her free.” She said quietly.

“Free? What are you talking about?” Captain Danner jolted both Creed and Sarah with his abrupt addition to their conversation.

“That device over there is not Orna. It’s just some kind of Interface. So that I can access her power. Max explained it to me.” She glanced over at the quiet mech with a longing look. “Orna is inside it.”

“What will happen if you let her... out?” Creed asked.

“I don’t know. But I’ll no longer be able to control her. We’d lose our best hope to defeat the Vixen.”

Creed sighed and walked up in front of Sarah and grasped her shoulders gently while looking into her eyes.

“Sarah, I know this is all really hard on you. You haven’t had a boring day since you ... woke up in that ship. But I want you to know that Captain Danner and I didn’t come after you just to we could use you like a tool against the Vixen. We came because we were worried about you, and we know that Amil is your friend. If you don’t want to be a part of this, you can take Max and your abomin-Orna and walk out of here. It’s a big planet. I’m sure the Vixen care less about any Prophecies or destiny. If you come with us, it should be because you want to, not because you think you have to.”

Sarah gave him a wan smile, then suddenly hugged him with a strength that surprised the big swordsman.

“Thanks, Creed. But I don’t think the Vixen are going to let me live once they know who and what I am. Even if I ran away, they will just come for me. And to be honest, I’m really tired of this whole victim thing.”

Her expression grew hard.

“Like it or not. I was created to be a weapon. And I intend to be one.”

“That’s the spirit, Sarah! Let’s go kick some Vixen butt! Er thorax?” Captain Danner started laughing again in that way that made everyone doubt his full lucidity.

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In a darkened chamber, a Vixen gazed impassively at a glowing red screen. Other, lesser Vixen skittered into and out of the chamber - on various errands or nervously attending to the larger Vixen’s every need.

The screen blinked twice, and then projected an image of a small girl talking to two gruff older men. Their words were translated into the chemical language of the Vixen as they spoke, and her delicate mouth appendages played across the sensory nodes below the screen. This Vixen turned her head slightly and issued a series of chemical orders that wafted from her like smoke from an angry fire.

Suddenly, the room was abuzz with activity as Vixen of every size and type began to scuttle into the room. Soldier Vixen - with wicked looking claws and heavy armor - came to touch antenna with the large Vixen. Smaller scout Vixen - with long powerful legs and oversized eyes - passed through with a touch as well. Workers brought food and small bladders of liquid that the large one quickly consumed.

Abruptly, the Queen arose from her station - causing all manner of chaos as smaller Vixen fell from her sides, and others scrambled to move out of her way to avoid being crushed. She did not care. Workers were replaceable. Scouts only lasted a few days after burning out from travelling at high speeds. She cared only for her Plan.

The Queen Vixen moved with a grace that belied her immense size. Within moments she was moving along a busy tunnel to another larger chamber. Members of her Hive scrambled to avoid her, but several were not fortunate as she moved with increasing speed. Heedless of whatever damage she was causing. Repairs and cleanup were beneath her notice. Already workers were removing the shattered bodies of their companions, and carpenter Vixen repairing the complex technology that lined the walls of the Hive.

She entered an immense hall that only enhanced her size, as she was finally able to extend herself to her full height and unfurl her wings and talons. Along one wall was an orderly series of pods. Within each pod - wrapped tightly and completely immobilized - was a human. A few pods were broken open and empty. The Queen had been slightly hungry on her last visit to her guests. A few humans would not be missed.

She moved along the pods with a delicate touch and finally stopped in front of one particularly interesting human. The one that had residual smells of a girl. The girl from the video screen.

Yes.

The Queen lifted the screaming human up to her alien face and her antennae played across his terrified face. Oh yes. She had to use the harsh breath-talk that humans understood. How barbaric.

“Sheee issss commmming fooooor yooooou.” The Queen hissed.

If Amil had understood her words, the thoughts were lost in his screams of terror.

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